The Hunger
by Preventer Squall
Summary: As they sit in the woods, the Sin of Gluttony sits infront of the fire and contemplates the reason he looks for the Philosopher's Stone. Oneshot. Rated PG13 for mentions of blood.


Hello one and all, and welcome to my first Fullmetal Alchemist fanfiction. This here is a oneshot about the most cuddly of all the Sins, Gluttony. I don't know about you, but I've always wondered what goes on in that brain of his. This is my interpretation of just that. Afterall, since he only really on screen just to eat people, I want to think that there's more to him then that, and his reason for the Philosopher's Stone.

Reviews of any kind will be welcome. Please enjoy!

**The Hunger**

The crackling of the campfire is pleasant to my ears. It saves me from having to listen to their perpetually irritating chatter about that stupid boy alchemist.

Why don't I join in, you ask? It's because I usually like to listen. That, and my mouth is full of freshly caught deer meat, and Lust dosen't like it when I speak with my mouth full. I offered some to Lust and Envy earlier, but only Lust was kind enough to snatch a sliver for herself. Envy merely called me a fat pig before going back to his endless triage about how much he hates the 'Fullmetal Pipsqueak'. As usual, I ponder if I could shut him up by biting a hole in his jugular, though I'm sure the blissful silence would only be for a short time. It's a pity we are not like humans. When you kill them, at least they stay dead.

As I listen to the roar of the fire, I glance around at the forest we've currently entrenched ourselves in. I see all this running around as too much trouble, but Sloth is the one that came up with this plan. I long ago figured out that she's a lot smarter then me, so I just go along with it after she tells me we're on our way to a good sized slaughter. I could use the meal, contrary to what Envy says.

For a moment, I pause and look at my quarry. It had once been a proud buck with six point antlers. I now use one of those points to clean my teeth. Aside from that, my thoughts revolve around mortality. Every other creature I get to eat has had the pleasure of dying. Is that why I joined in this quest for the Philosopher's stone? To die?

Don't make me laugh. The others look at me funny when I seem to laugh for no reason.

One of the reasons I'm here is because the others are here. It sounds craven, I know, but it's a fact. We homunculi are few, and the others need me as much as I need them. Sloth likes having me around because I don't question her orders. I know she's smarter then me, so that means she has it all worked out for us in the end. Envy likes me because he needs a verbal punching bag, and I don't care enough to say anything back. He's an effeminate crybaby with anger issues, so his opinion of me dosen't even weigh on me as much as this antler toothpick does. I think Lust like me because I do what she tells me to. The underling's underling, so to speak. Makes her feel she has some control over her actions, even if those actions are already predetermined. If I wasn't a soulless abomination, I'd almost say that I was in love with her. Lust is the only one that treats me like I'm more then a pair of teeth, even if that's only when we're by ourselves.

It helps me forget my true reason for being here, which is my hunger.

It gnaws at the back of my mind every waking moment. Even in sleep, my growling stomach gives me no rest. I actually dream of being full, curled up with my friends as we all talk about how good it feels to be human. Even Wrath and Greed are here, though Greed and Envy throw their verbal barbs at each other instead of me. Sloth laughs and just smiles that motherly smile of hers, as though she's watching her own children. And Lust...well, Lust would actually smile at me, and I would finally get to understand the strange feelings I have when I'm around her.

But just as we all make a toast around that roaring campfire, I wake up, and find myself hungrier then the day before. It just reminds me all the more why I want the Philosopher's Stone. I want to be human, so my stomach stops hurting. I want to feel complete for one moment in my life. There have been moments when I became so ravenous that I actually ate my own arm, only to have it regenerate by the next day. One of these days, I'm sure that my arm won't grow back. Just thinking about me walking around all lopsided makes me chuckle under my breath, though I quickly mask it by taking several more bites of that sickeningly sweet flesh and blood.

The other two stop their conversation and look back at me, and I can feel their eyes on the back of my bald head. Rather then waste the time explaining my train of thought, I turn around to face them and just grin that familiar grin of mine. Envy snorts and rolls his eyes, as though he's so much holier then me, and gets to his feet. I can tell that my eating got him hungry too, so he's decided to get something for himself rather then ask for something from me. At least it'll give me a chance to have some quiet without having to hear him say how much he hates those Elric boys.

"You seem to have something on your mind, Gluttony." a sultry voice calls out to me, making me turn around and look back at Lust, who's gotten to her feet and is walking towards me. It seems she's known me long enough to actually know when I'm thinking. "Care to share?" she sits down beside me, her fingers lengthening as she uses them to tear off a piece of bloodied flesh for herself. Of course, I don't object as I chew the rest of the meat and bone in my mouth, taking a moment to swallow before I answer.

"Just thinking about being human. Do you think it can really happen?" speaking so much all at once would seem uncharacteristic of me to most, but Lust is one of the only witness to such a seemingly random bout of conversation. She smiles slightly at the sound of my gravely voice, as though she enjoys the sound of it. Of course, I know better then to overthink such things.

"Of course I do, Gluttony. If I didn't, do you think I would be going to all this trouble?" she flicks her fingertips so the flesh she carved out of my prey practically launches itself into her mouth, murmuring something incoherent under her breath as she licks the tiny trickle of warm blood from the corner of her lip. She seems to enjoy the taste of it as much as I do. "Our best bet for becoming human is the Fullmetal boy. All that we can do is steer him in the right direction and hope that he continues to perform as we need him to."

As much as I hate to admit it, she's right. "I suppose you're right." I grumbled and shrugged my shoulders before sinking my teeth back into the skin, meat, and bone with no effort. All the while, one thought runs through my mind with each bite.

When will the bite I take be the one that stops my hunger?

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So, what do you think? Was it any good? I want to hear plenty of reviews, and I may just come with another POV of another Sin if you viewers give me some recommendations.


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